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Funny, then, that a week later I stumbled upon one of the best in the city.

The Drake is a pub everyone knows - it’s a prime spot on the edge of the west end but a stone’s throw from Charing Cross and the city centre. It’s a popular place to host a party, or grab a pint and a cosy seat by the fire when winter rolls around.

(Image: The Drake/Facebook)

And judging by my visit last Sunday, when it was roast dinners all round in the downstairs bar, it’s a regular weekend haunt for those hankering for roast beef and yorkies.

I booked it for a family lunch, thinking I’d leave them to the gravy plates and pick something from the a la carte - here’s why I was glad to be wrong (for a change!)

Where is it and what’s it like?

You’ll find The Drake’s cosy bar downstairs on the corner of Woodlands Road and Lynedoch Street. Inside it’s all stone walls and traditional wood-burning fire - the kind that features regularly on Glasgow Live when we’re talking about those cosy, warm-your-cockles type spots.

(Image: The Drake/Facebook)

The rugs are worn from the paws of a thousand dugs grabbing a snooze by the fire (it’s dog-friendly too - another big tick on our checklist) but the menu is surprisingly upmarket. Alongside the usual fish and chips and burger options sit gems like slow cooked pork belly with black pudding sausage roll or roast cod with chorizo jam.

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What did you have?

I was considering the cod. The pork belly caught my eye. The idea of a half roast chicken in coconut curry sauce sounded appealing. But a quick glance at the roast dinners arriving at another table had me sold.

I’m not a huge fan, usually - it might sound simple but a lot can go wrong, from overcooked meat to soggy puddings, veg boiled to within in an inch of its life and stodgy gravy heaped on top.

The Drake has won me round entirely.

(Image: The Drake/Facebook)

But before we get to that, there was a starter more than worthy of a mention; haggis croquettes. Okay, you’ve had them before - a million times, no doubt - but the version here was undoubtedly one of the best I’ve tried yet; long fingers of haggis in crispy breadcrumbs, piled artfully on top of a sweet carrot puree with a moreish whisky sauce on the side. I was scraping the bowl - it really was that good.

On to the main event, and I went for roast chicken - what arrived was two huge pieces of succulent meat, as good as the tender, pink roast beef across the table. Both roasts were paired with crispy roast potatoes, brilliant cauliflower cheese, a bed of greens and sweet roasted carrot wedges. Excellent gravy and a huge Yorkshire pudding topped off the whole thing like a crown - perfectly fitting for a phenomenal plate of food.

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Forget your mum burning the beef joint back in the day - this is cooking worth shouting about, and it’s a big feed too. In short, it’ll keep the foodies in your family happy while filling the biggest mouths to bursting.

There’s a selection of decent-sounding deserts too but there was no chance after polishing off all of the above.

(Image: The Drake/Facebook)

How much?

The Sunday roast will set you back £14 for chicken, £15 for beef - not cheap, but a reasonable amount for a feed of this size and quality. Our starters were £6.50 each, bringing the bill for two, minus drinks, to £42. I’ve spent more for less - and for a Sunday lunch that pleases everyone, I’d part with more again.